What is Considered Heavy Lifting?
road2peachtree
Posts: 294 Member
I go down into the gym at work and lift 3 days out of the week and every time I go down there I see a picture of an oily guy with mad crazy muscles the size of my head. So while I'm working out I have him on one shoulder doing bicep curls and me on the other wondering if I'm actually doing anything close to what he is doing--especially when I get to the lateral raise machine and it's on 110lbs. I change it to 60lbs--he is grunting, she-me-her is wondering if that's heavy enough. So I ask, what is heavy lifting exactly? And how often do you change the amount of weight?
*I do know that if you can do an easy 10+ rep the weight isn't heavy enough and if you can't even make it past 5 it's too heavy.
*I do know that if you can do an easy 10+ rep the weight isn't heavy enough and if you can't even make it past 5 it's too heavy.
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From what I read, and knowing little. You should lift heavy enough so that you can do between 3-5 reps over 3-5 sets. Work the same muscle groups every other day. And increase the weight every time you go. When you can't increase weight anymore, change the exercise for a couple weeks and then try again.0
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The studies have shown that 2 - 5 sets with 5 to 20 reps that results in failure, or almost at the last rep of the last set, is what leads to the benefit of weight lifting.
So heavy for you with the style you want to do. Endurance obviously the high end there, and takes more time, power on the low end and less time, strength in the middle.
The benefit is you just overloaded your muscle so much you caused micro-tears, and if you give it rest and proper nutrition, it will repair stronger. If you don't, usually just micro-scars from bad healing. Ever picked at a scab?
So this method of eating takes care of the adequate energy taken in, so there is enough available to repair with.
Nutrition is easier to get when not eating bare bones nothing.
And hopefully you don't overload the muscles the day after so they can't repair fully. Nor wear them out from the day before so you can't push so hard with them.
You don't have to actually increase weight each time, when you start, you likely can, but get form down correctly first, then ramp it on up.
You will have a point where you will increase weight, but have to lower the reps. When reps go back up, you can increase weight again.
That's why many times it rep ranges, 8 - 12. When you hit 12 reps going to failure, then you increase weight and try to hit 8 reps. Work your way back up again.
Really don't want to move on to something else, or you'll lose your advancement on what you are working on by not overloading the same muscles.0 -
Just to clarify, by doing different exercises I meant moving to a different exercise that uses the same muscle groups. such as flat bench to incline bench.0
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The studies have shown that 2 - 5 sets with 5 to 20 reps that results in failure, or almost at the last rep of the last set, is what leads to the benefit of weight lifting.
So heavy for you with the style you want to do. Endurance obviously the high end there, and takes more time, power on the low end and less time, strength in the middle.
The benefit is you just overloaded your muscle so much you caused micro-tears, and if you give it rest and proper nutrition, it will repair stronger. If you don't, usually just micro-scars from bad healing. Ever picked at a scab?
So this method of eating takes care of the adequate energy taken in, so there is enough available to repair with.
Nutrition is easier to get when not eating bare bones nothing.
And hopefully you don't overload the muscles the day after so they can't repair fully. Nor wear them out from the day before so you can't push so hard with them.
You don't have to actually increase weight each time, when you start, you likely can, but get form down correctly first, then ramp it on up.
You will have a point where you will increase weight, but have to lower the reps. When reps go back up, you can increase weight again.
That's why many times it rep ranges, 8 - 12. When you hit 12 reps going to failure, then you increase weight and try to hit 8 reps. Work your way back up again.
Really don't want to move on to something else, or you'll lose your advancement on what you are working on by not overloading the same muscles.
Ok that makes much sense. You mentioned nutrition....when lifting, do you eat something different before/after than you do when running for instance? Or is it all the same?0 -
From what I read, and knowing little. You should lift heavy enough so that you can do between 3-5 reps over 3-5 sets. Work the same muscle groups every other day. And increase the weight every time you go. When you can't increase weight anymore, change the exercise for a couple weeks and then try again.
Thanks! Completely digging the Fin (or Phin) and Jake weight tracker btw
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Ok that makes much sense. You mentioned nutrition....when lifting, do you eat something different before/after than you do when running for instance? Or is it all the same?
Just making sure you get that 1g per lb of LBM of protein in, and 0.4 g per lb of LBM of fat in, rest of your daily goal carbs.
If you can schedule you eating on lifting days to have smaller meals until after your lifting, for the next 24 hrs, that works great at providing the food when you really need it.
And good amount of protein before bed when repairs going on.
Next day rest day, breakfast still may be bigger and lunch, if evening lifting the day before, but smaller dinner and snack.0 -
*I do know that if you can do an easy 10+ rep the weight isn't heavy enough and if you can't even make it past 5 it's too heavy.
Thats pretty much what you need to know.. 5-10 reps, on the 10th you should barely be able to finish or not finish the set with correct form.. doesn't matter if its 50lbs, 100lbs, 20lbs.. When you can finish that 10th rep with good form and not be completely exhausted, then increase weight... 5-10 reps, 3 sets of the same exercise(30-45 sec break between).. that third set should be like hell on earth.. And don't worry about what the people around you are lifting, alot of times those people lifting the massive weights also have completely incorrect back breaking form.
Only thing you need to do when lifting and eating, is try to get enough protein usually .8-1 per Lean muscle, if you don't know that, aim for 1 per lb body weight...0 -
Awesome...I appreciate your advice--takes the guess work out of a lot of it. LOL0
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I am also new to lifting. I started a program on Bodybuilding.com called LiveFit and am a month in. I drink my protein after my workouts, usually before bed, and was glad that this is the right thing to do from reading here. The program is set up with each day being a different body part, different reps as time goes on, different requirements. This week is the first "set to failure". We added in cardio this week, too. A half hour on elliptical. The first month was no cardio at all. I upped my calories to go with my BMR and TDEE and have been staying in range. It is a 3 month program. I felt the same way, though, wondering if I was lifting as well as everyone else. I started out not being able to lift more than 5 pound dumbbells and no pul ups, etc. I am now at 40 pounds with barbells and did 30 pull ups in the gym Monday night. I think I have the weight down. In the last rep it is harder to pull through, but I make it. We are doing 85% max effort right now.
Is it normal to feel sore in the joints? I am not 30 yet but feel so old some days on my elbow joints. Any tricks to ease this soreness? I give myself a rest day when feeling like that out of fear of tearing a muscle too much. Is this ok to do?0 -
Is it normal to feel sore in the joints? I am not 30 yet but feel so old some days on my elbow joints. Any tricks to ease this soreness? I give myself a rest day when feeling like that out of fear of tearing a muscle too much. Is this ok to do?
Excellent job on progress.
No, should not be. May have some slight form problems for YOU. Meaning you are doing exact proper looking form, but because of some mechanical difference, you would be better served with slightly different hand positions say, or rotation, ect.
If you can nail down if they come more after certain days, and what went on that day, and any common push or pull motions.
I have shoulder impingement from old injuries. Bench and shoulder press are best done with dumbbells where I can rotate hands and forearms. Straight bar bad, but a huge range past that is fine. Actually, it's probably the change of rotation as they go up.
Any joint soreness just from starting new activity should normally be gone by now, unless genetically you have poor joints, or repair slower, ect.
At least with those reasons, supplements might help, or as mention rotation of hands.
Spacing of hands on bars sometimes, ect.
Lot of variable, but best to start now noting what it might and might not be and hone in on it. Lest damage be done later.0 -
Thanks for the feedback! I know from this Monday it is coming from the pull ups I did. For the first time in my life I did a pull up, and even then I did the 30 that she wanted from us for the program.
I know this may be why I am sore. New exercise for sure. The last time prior it was from the curls with the dumbbells. I added 5 pounds to it and felt sore after. It is that movement, lifting up in a curl that is doing it. I don't know how to fix it, though? It is a good move to work out the muscles. I never had any injuries but have old cheerleader joints I guess 0 -
Thanks for the feedback! I know from this Monday it is coming from the pull ups I did. For the first time in my life I did a pull up, and even then I did the 30 that she wanted from us for the program. I know this may be why I am sore. New exercise for sure. The last time prior it was from the curls with the dumbbells. I added 5 pounds to it and felt sore after. It is that movement, lifting up in a curl that is doing it. I don't know how to fix it, though? It is a good move to work out the muscles. I never had any injuries but have old cheerleader joints I guess
You're new to exercise and you did 30 pullups??0 -
Not new to exercise- new to weight lifting. I have been at this journey since July of 2012- compared to some I am new LOL, but to me it seems like a long road. I did it all wrong in the beginning, but am now on the right track. Weight-lifting is me pushing myself out of my comfort zone. I have been doing this for over a month and, yes, I did the 30 pull ups. I thought I would not be able to do even one and was totally surprised to do it. I was grunting and making odd noise for a lady, but I did not give up. We did 3 sets of 10. I felt odd doing them in front of the big buff men there, but I paid them no attention and just did it. I always feel odd being around them because they are all ripped and stuff, but you have to start somewhere right?0
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Not new to exercise- new to weight lifting. I have been at this journey since July of 2012- compared to some I am new LOL, but to me it seems like a long road. I did it all wrong in the beginning, but am now on the right track. Weight-lifting is me pushing myself out of my comfort zone. I have been doing this for over a month and, yes, I did the 30 pull ups. I thought I would not be able to do even one and was totally surprised to do it. I was grunting and making odd noise for a lady, but I did not give up. We did 3 sets of 10. I felt odd doing them in front of the big buff men there, but I paid them no attention and just did it. I always feel odd being around them because they are all ripped and stuff, but you have to start somewhere right?
3 sets of 10 unbroken deadhangs?0 -
Not new to exercise- new to weight lifting. I have been at this journey since July of 2012- compared to some I am new LOL, but to me it seems like a long road. I did it all wrong in the beginning, but am now on the right track. Weight-lifting is me pushing myself out of my comfort zone. I have been doing this for over a month and, yes, I did the 30 pull ups. I thought I would not be able to do even one and was totally surprised to do it. I was grunting and making odd noise for a lady, but I did not give up. We did 3 sets of 10. I felt odd doing them in front of the big buff men there, but I paid them no attention and just did it. I always feel odd being around them because they are all ripped and stuff, but you have to start somewhere right?
3 sets of 10 unbroken deadhangs?
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I really believe that if you push yourself, them your lifting heavy, leave the numbers out all together.
I pulled 40 kilo baskets of prawns in my twenties ( early ) I did that 30 times a night at least, I looked great I got married to the skipper, had 6 pregnancies 3 births and life happens, it's too long to put here but I believe if I had of kept lifting I would not have gone down the road I did.
If its on the floor pick it up, if a man tells you you can't, you probably can!0 -
KS, I was wondering the same thing. I have been working on pull ups(palms forward) for 2 months. And I am only able to do 5 max first set.0
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No, should not be. May have some slight form problems for YOU. Meaning you are doing exact proper looking form, but because of some mechanical difference, you would be better served with slightly different hand positions say, or rotation, ect.
Wow, this is SO good for me to hear and remember!0 -
There was a seat there when I first got there on the pull up bar but I had one of the guys help me take it down. I did them in 10's and paused between sets. I couldn't do 30 straight. As far as palms go the bars were set for me to pull up on with my palms out to the sides, kind of like fists. It is kind of hard to describe, but no I did not get help or use the seat. I am still sore from it, and possibly over-did it, but I got through it. One day a week in Phase II of this program we do pull ups thank God LOL0
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Even 10 straight is awesome!0
